Don’t Fancy Uni? How About These Well-Paid Jobs Instead?

29 Jun 2017

We wrote a couple of weeks ago about the best paid sectors for graduate vacancies, but what about those of you who don’t want to - or simply can’t - go to university? Can you still earn good money in the UK without a degree under your belt? Maybe via the apprenticeship route?

Well, yes, you most certainly can!

A new study by jobs site Indeed has picked out some of the best paid jobs where you can forge a career and earn handsomely without needing a university education behind you.

Here are the top ten careers where you don’t need a degree, along with their average salaries in brackets:

And, if you factor in the fact that going to university for three years could leave you with average debts of more than £30,000, then the non-graduate route into work starts to look even more attractive. In the meantime you could have been earning a decent wage, staying out of debt and working your way up the career ladder.

Indeed, recent Office for National Statistics data reveals that almost 3 in 10 graduates earn less money than young people who entered the world of work via an apprenticeship rather than a degree.

That’s not to say you shouldn’t go to university, though. There are many jobs and professions - such as doctors and lawyers for example - which pay well but which you can’t possibly enter into without a degree behind you.

The point is that you DO have a choice and don’t need to feel like like you’ll be stuck in a dead end, pittance-paying job for life if you don’t go to university.

Commenting on the findings, the Europe, Middle East & Africa Economist at Indeed, Mariano Mamertino, said: “This data proves that choosing not to go onto university does not automatically mean a lower salary. Although all the roles in our list do require some form of training, they don't require a degree. Our figures suggest there is still a 'graduate premium', with graduates frequently earning more than those without a degree.”

“But while having a degree typically increases your earning potential, the cost of gaining one is substantial. As a result many school-leavers will be asking themselves whether the sums of doing a degree add up,” concluded Mr Mamertino.

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